If someone asks you to sign a petition for “Fair Districts for Summit County,” they are really doing the Republicans’ dirty work.

The petition will redraw the district lines and kick at least two sitting County Council Democrats out of office.

Republican policies just aren’t working and the voters have said so in Summit County.

The Republicans know that they can’t win on their issues, so they have to redraw the lines and go behind the voters’ backs to take seats on County Council.

Here’s the bottom line: the voters of Summit County last year overwhelmingly elected Republicans for 4 of the 5 state-wide races, and at the same time, they voted for three Democrats for Summit County Council At-Large, booting out the lone At-Large Republican.

That says that even though Summit County voters wanted Republicans at the state level, they wanted Democrats working for them on County Council.

Oh, and by the way, that lone At-Large Republican who lost last year?

He’s one of the folks pushing this petition.

Ask yourself – does signing this petition help the voters, or help the Republicans get seats that they can’t win in a fair election?

In the end, this petition is just another example of partisan politics trumping fair representation.

We at the Summit County Democratic Party would like to extend our most heartfelt congratulations to our brothers and sisters in the LGBT community, who after a decades-long fight under heavy persecution have finally won the right to be treated equally in the eyes of the law when seeking to participate in the sacred institution of marriage. Equality is the most fundamental of American ideals, enshrined in the very foundations of the American value system and in our founding documents. While we have a long way to go before we can truly say we've achieved it for all, today is a cause for celebration because all of the blood, sweat, and tears invested in this fight have brought us one step closer.

On a personal note, my marriage is absolutely foundational to my sense of self. At the very core of all of my hopes, dreams, and aspirations in life is the love that I share with my wife, who is my best friend. Our marriage will be my life's greatest adventure, and we cannot imagine the recognition of this sacred journey being denied to others. Now, we won't have to. Our marriage is stronger today than it ever has been because the definition of marriage is more complete.

“Your vote and your voice matter. Anyone who tells you otherwise is wrong.”

There is a new force behind the Summit County Democratic Party’s social media presence, and that force is Bailey Sandin. Since taking over the party’s web presence this spring, following a sleepless summer and fall canvassing for the Paula Prentice campaign, Bailey has enthusiastically kept followers on Twitter and Facebook informed and engaged as the Party rebuilds for 2016 and beyond. Social media readership is up, and people genuinely like what she has to say, but not too many people know who’s been behind the magic as of late.

Bailey, who is an incoming junior at the University of Akron pursuing majors in both Political Science and Media Studies, along with a minor in Arabic, became passionate about politics working on the debate team in high school, where she says she first discovered what issues she cares about. She was also inspired politically by her father, who is a union member working for General Motors.

Bailey is here fighting for equality, whether that be in the form of marriage rights, freedom of religion, women’s rights, freedom of speech and the press, or the right to organize. She hates the cynical view of politics that has become more and more pervasive amongst people her age and believes that politics is still the best way to affect positive change in the world.

In her free time, Bailey is an avid concert-goer and loves to write and cook. She grew up in Youngstown, but came to Summit County for college. She decided to intern with the Summit County Democratic Party because of the tremendous experience she had working for the Paula Prentice campaign and because she says she was inspired by how passionate our Executive Director is about Akron and Democratic Politics.

If you see Bailey around the office or around the County, make sure you say “hi” to this up and coming journalist! After college, Bailey is planning to pursue a career in political journalism, where she hopes to report on the United States and the Middle East. She is one of the hardest working people we’ve ever met, and we think she’s got what it takes!

It's been a long time coming, but I am happy to announce that on the tail end of our first year in leadership, we are launching a new online home for the Summit County Democratic Party as part of our ongoing re-engineering effort.

This site was designed to incorporate a more modern aesthetic, along with Nationbuilder's robust community organizing features. The facelift is also part of a larger effort to rebrand the Party's presence across all online platforms. As some of you have already noticed, Facebook and Twitter look a little bit different as well.

However, there is more to our new home than just a new look. We have done our best to cut down on unnecessary information while incorporating the following:

1. a blog2. a more accessible calendar3. up to date information on clubs, along with contact information4. a modernized PC job description and info on how to join the Central Committee,5. a complete list of elected officials, county-wide6. a new online home for the Summit County Young Democrats7. information on running for office, including public access to the party's Votebuilder Application and Access Policy8. a volunteer form9. the ability for new voters to print a ready-to-sign voter registration form 10. a home for press releases,11. a soon-to-be activated online contribution form, and12. a few more goodies.

Please have a look around, and don't be afraid to let us know what you think. Thank you all for your continued support, and we look forward to hearing from you soon!